locals paid Rs. 200 mn to enter Casinos within four months

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

A revenue of more than RS.200 million has been earned so far from fees charged from locals who entered Casino Centres from April this year, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said yesterday.  

He told Parliament that a fee of USD 50 is charged from locals who enter Casino Centres from April 1 this year.
Speaking during the debate on the Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Bill, the Minister said some 9081 people had entered Casino Centres during the four months of February, March, April and May and 5381 out of which were foreigners and 3,656 were locals.  

“It was proposed to charge a fee of USD 100 from locals who enter Casinos in 2015. But, no fee had been charged for the last eight years. We have submitted an action plan to the Committee on Public Finance to increase the fee upto USD 200 through a three-year period,” he said.  

The Minister said the fee charged on entry of locals to Casinos were taken to discourage locals from entering casinos.